Interstate 75 Drama

So... yesterday I had to take Sweet Mama to Atlanta for her pre-op at Emory. We left at 9:00 a.m. for our 1 1/2 hr drive. It was not a bad ride...pretty day! Our time at Emory went very fast (Sweet Mama is in excellent health except for her nose!) and after a trip to the dentist, we made our way home.

While stopped for lunch (around 3pm) we called Red to tell her we would be home soon. She asked had we seen any police or a police chase on the Interstate 75? No, it seemed pretty normal traffic, moving right along.

Well...she said that the Interstate had been shut down and that police were chasing the cab of a tractor trailer down the South 75. It had been carjacked (or was that truckjacked?). Of course that is the way we are heading. Sweet Mama asked where it was. Red, who was watching it live on Fox News, said that it started in Fulton County (Atlanta) and was in Spalding County (which is where we were eating our Chick-fila!). Not too far from Atlanta. hmmmm.... "There is a guy on the back of the cab hanging on........" "They are blowing put his tires with those strip thingies!" "The guy jumped off!!" "They are pulling out the driver....police dogs are there!" (We are partial to police dogs as Red's husband, Kojak, used to train them!! ) "He is being hauled away!" "Popo got 'im!"

Now, keep in mind that Sweet Mama and I are in a restaurant with people talking and loud 50's music being played...so we only caught parts of the conversation. Red also has a major cold and has a very deep voice and laryngitis.... What I got was... Interstate shut down...Spalding County....big mess! Hmmmm Plan B ..... knowing my way around the back roads, (Atlanta can have some doozies of traffic messes!) Sweet Mama and I planned our way home. We thought that since it was in Spalding county we would just go far enough the back way and then hook up with the Interstate and zip home.

We got down to Locus Grove (about 20 miles from where we ate) and looked at the traffic and it was moving normal...sooo.... we got back on! Sweet Mama had just got out of her mouth "lucky us, we missed it" when 7 miles later we are stopped dead on the road...traffic backing up behind us. A quick call to Red and, now that we can hear every word,...find out that the chase lasted until Monroe County...which is now in front of us!! Grrrrr

We look for the next exit...Red is on the computer (repeating "I told you not to get on the Interstate, it's right before Macon")...and see that the exit is 1 1/2 miles ahead. An hour or more later we finally get there!! We then take the backroads and make it home at 7:30 p.m.
Needless to say, I was tired of sitting when I got home. Had to stay up til the eleven o'clock news to see the details of what I missed! What drama!! An ordinary 1 1/2 hr trip took us 4 1/2 hrs....! Ya know the Interstate is faster!!!

Angel Food Crunch Cake

Today I have a recipe from my childhood...or should I say from my teenage-hood. Since Red and I both have birthdays in the middle of the HOT Georgia summer, Sweet Mama would make us this birthday cake! Nowadays you can buy the ice cream with the candy already mixed in, but this was a fun way of getting out some of your frustrations!! Go ahead and make it now so you'll have if down for your upcoming summer picnics! It is a great taste of summer!!

If you like, you can substitute with the ready mixed ice cream...but you'll be missing a lot of fun!!

Angel Food Crunch Cake

1 angel food cake (any size)

8 Heath Bars

1 gallon vanilla ice cream

Cut cake into two layers. Break candy bars with a hammer into small pieces (put in a Ziploc bag first!). Save 1/4 cup of pieces. Mix the rest with ice cream and spread over bottom half of the cake. Replace top and spread remaining ice cream mixture on cake (like icing!) Sprinkle on top the saved candy pieces. Freeze.

Uneaten cake can be refrozen!

Enjoy!

Nanny's Yummy Peanut Brittle

This is a recipe from my Grandmother Nanny, who passed away last September. She was almost 97. This her with Skippy a few years ago (maybe more than a few!). She was always cooking and everything always tasted so good!! No one ever went hungry at Nanny's!

I loved her peanut brittle and thought today I would share it with you! (This recipe is written in SE Georgia speak..I have tried to translate when possible!) Nanny would be so glad you tried it!!

Nanny's Peanut Brittle

1/2 cup white Karo syrup

1 cup sugar

3 cups peanuts (raw)

1 level tsp soda

Cook syrup, sugar and peanuts until they are cracked (parched) stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add soda. Stir until soda has foamed for a while. Let cool in flat buttered pan. Break into pieces. Enjoy!

I am on a Treasury on Etsy!

I am so excited! I made it onto another Treasury List on Etsy! This apron "Mom's Roses" is listed on a Mother's Day Treasury List. There are 12 items listed in this treasury. For those of you who don't know what a treasury is, it is a listing posted by Esty members of items they like that are for sale on Etsy. Great advertising for the shop! There are all kinds of treasury listings but each only lasts for a couple of days. It is always changing. There are thousands of sellers on Etsy with millions of items to choose from. But I was chosen!! It is a big deal in my little world! I am so proud!

To see the list go to http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=54639

This list expires Monday April 27 at 1:52pm EDT

I went to the City Market on the Green in downtown Macon today. Boy was it hot! Feels like summer already...not April! Sat there and watched as people walked by... and bought nothing from me!! I even had the above apron there...but no one cared. They were just there for the produce and plants!! I have one more weekend and then I will be unable to participate for a while. Sweet Mama's surgery is May 5!

So, hot and tired, I get back home, check the Etsy shop site and, SURPRISE, I am on a treasury!! The day got instantly better!! :)

Happy Earth Day!!

Happy Earth Day everyone!! Hope you enjoy the day and all the wonderful views of our earth!

Like this one of dawn at St. Augustine Beach, Florida. It was a beautiful morning that day!

Or here on Dauphin Island, near Mobile, Alabama! How about a walk in the Gulf?!

Or maybe down here in Beckley, West Virginia!

Or just chill out and relax in the sun like the lions at The Montgomery Zoo!


Everyone is doing it...even Beau!

Enjoy the day!!!

Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole

Here is another recipe from my friend Judy! This is so tasty and delicious!!

Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

8 oz. sour cream

1 chicken, cooked

poppy seed

Ritz crackers

Combine first 4 ingredients and layer with crushed Ritz crackers and poppy seed. (It is not as good without the poppy seed!) Top with Ritz crackers, melted butter, and poppy seeds. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Enjoy!

For more of my recipes, just type "recipes" in the search box above and search blog!

I need some advice! Big time!!

These are my children. Bella, the orange Maine Coon, is 5 1/2 years old. I got her from the Humane Society when she was 1 year old...someone had returned her! She is so sweet, loves everything and everyone! Beau, on the left, is a Balinese (I think?!) and I think he is 4. He showed up almost a year after I got Bell. It was a stormy day and the power was out when I got home. There he was, on my front porch, meowing (or should I say, hollering)! Bella was in the front window looking at him and winking! She told me he was sooo cute and she LOVED HIM and that we HAD to keep him!!! I wasn't so sure... So I asked around and no one would claim him. Long story short, he had a pellet in his leg where someone had shot him. He is a little mouthy, talks all the time, where as Bella chirps. So he stayed..got a little operation and picked out his room!

So we all moved up here when Sweet Mama got sick the first time. They both became best friends very quickly.


Bella has taken up with Sweet Mama...everytime she sits in her recliner to watch TV, Bella has to sit with her. She also will sleep on Sweet Mama's bed at night! Sweet Mama loves it!

Beau, meanwhile, is my baby. Follows me everywhere, wants to sit in my lap all the time! It is sometimes hard to write these posts because he is in my lap...helping! He is very loving and so sweet...but wants a lot of attention.



Now my problem is this... He is waking up every morning between 5 & 5:30 wanting me to get up too. I usually get up, go to the kitchen and stand by the food bowls (where Beau say "Oh, there's my food!!! I forgot..."). If I don't get up, he beats on the side on my bed like is is playing a conga drum! And if that does not work, he goes to my bookcase (which I have booby trapped) and pees on a barrier I have put up! So now I get up, go to the back door and let him out on the screened-in porch. This will usually hold him for a half an hour or so, then he comes back in...if I am still in the bed, he beats again. It doesn't matter if Sweet Mama is awake and in the kitchen..he says hello to her and keeps on walking back to my room, hollering all the way. This goes on until I get up... Then he has to take a nap...he is exhausted...waking me up is a hard job...but somebody has to do it.



Now with Sweet Mama having to go back in the hospital and having a long recovery period, how am I going to keep him from waking her up? He cannot be kenneled, he hates it!! Talk about hollering..he would wake up the whole neighborhood! Plus I think he got fixed too young, but who knew his age at the time?!

I know I created a monster ...but just look this baby...gotta love him! He can be so sweet...

Any advice or tips would be appreciated!!

Please leave a comment!!

Broccoli Slaw...My Favorite!

I decided today to share this recipe with y'all because this was my lunch today! I helped Sweet Mama make it for her luncheon on Friday. There was enough left for lunch on Sunday!! Now keep in mind that I am not a fan of Broccoli..but this I like!

Broccoli Slaw

1 pkg broccoli slaw

Lite Honey Dijon salad dressing

1 pkg Trail Mix (I like fruit and nut variety)

craisins

raisins

1-2 Apples (Granny Smith, Fuji, Red Delicious - your choice)

1 small can madarin oranges (drained)

Place broccoli mix in a large bowl. Cut apples into bite size pieces. Add everything to bowl except dressing. Mix together. Add small amounts of salad dressing to mixture until it is lightly coated. More dressing can be added, but make sure to add in small amounts! You don't want to drown it in dressing. Place in refrigerator to chill. Serve cold. May be kept for 2 - 3 days. Enjoy!

Spring Break Part Five

Well our time here in NC has come to an end!

We woke up this morning to SNOW! Skippy was so excited...could not wait to go out to the parking lot and stand in it! This picture is the view out of my window...kinda hard to see. You have to bend down and look to the left. We got our rooms on priceline.com for $55 per night. We had very nice rooms! The view out the window is of the roof of the entryway into the hotel! But if you stand just right...close one eye you can see ...sorta. (Red and Skippy had no view at all!) But we weren't there for the view.

We got ready, packed our bags and went down to breakfast.

This was our view out of the window of the hotel restaurant.



Not a lot of snow ...you could call it a dusting. Skippy would call it a snow day!

After Breakfast we decided to get a cart to load up the bags for the car. Skippy said "We don't need the cart out front.. I saw one of our floor" So he and Red get in the elevator to go up to our floor. The hold button somehow is held too long and the buzzer starts wailing. Scares to stuff out of Skippy and he jumps off as the door slams shut... and there goes Red... up by herself!

Moments later she is back with quite a look on her face and says there is no cart on our floor! Keep in mind Skippy is only 14, but knows everything like every other 14 year old! We get the cart and Skippy rides up on it to our floor. The door opens, Sweet Mama and Red get off... then Skippy and the cart when the door slams shut! It starts moving and I hear a faint knocking on the outside door. I wonder where I am going as I leave my family behind!

So here I sit riding up, past three to the forth floor. A man gets in and we begin the process of the elevator going down. At the second floor the door opens and there is Sweet Mama. "Did you hear me knocking?" she asks. I said "I hope Skippy makes it to 15..." as I make my way to our room. I hear Skippy snickering in the background.

We load up all our stuff on the "infamous cart" and head downstairs to the parking level.

Load the car and head towards South Carolina.








We make it as far as the Asheville Airport when the snow stops and is gone! So much for more winter...back to reality and warmer weather!



Next stop is Greenwood, South Carolina! This is the home of Lander University! Sweet Mama graduated from here and Red attended for three years until Dad got sick. Now Precious is an incoming freshman! Sweet Mama wants to see the campus (she hasn't been back in years!) and Red wants to talk to Financial Aid. As we drive into the campus..the consensus is the everything has changed! Even the Main Entrance to the campus has been moved! Old buildings are gone with new ones in their place. We find our way to the administrative building and go to the financial aid office and then to the alumni office. Sweet Mama is a Golden Girl as she graduated 50 years ago! She could not go to the reunion last year but the alumni lady gives here all the gifts she missed! We also look at old annuals and see pictures of Sweet Mama and Red from back in the day!

We next go to the bookstore to get Sweet Mama and Precious t-shirts and momentos!

We must take photos of Chippley, the dorm Sweet Mama and Red lived in! Precious wants to live there too!

After of tour of the campus, we make our way home to Middle Georgia. It has been a very fun-filled four days! Skippy is already planning his trip to Sliding Rock this summer...We will see. He turns 15 in July...I hope he makes it!!

Update on Sweet Mama

Good News! Sweet Mama's cancer is not as bad as we had envisioned! After talking to the doctor this evening, he said that this is just a recurrence of the original cancer. It was confined to the biopsy areas and had not spread to the lymph nodes or other areas of the face, neck or head! There is no mass or tumor. He said that he tried to convince the other doctors in the Tumor Clinic on just radiation but that they all decided on surgery.

It will not be as bad as the first surgery, in the fact that she will be operated on from the outside. Last time it was through the inside of the mouth. The lips were opened very wide and pulled back. The bone and last four molars were removed with the bottom of the sinus being completely removed. This time the incisions will be beside the nose and under the eye with the upper sinus being removed and as well as part of the cheekbone.

At least this time we know what we are up against. And how much recovery time it will take. We all feel so relieved that we now know what we are up against!! Surgery is tentatively scheduled for May 5.

I know we will all sleep better tonight! We are celebrating with ice cream!

Spring Break Part Four

After a fun-filled day at the Biltmore House and a rested evening at the hotel, we awoke on Monday for our next adventure!

We left Asheville on the back roads for Brevard, NC.
I went to college in Brevard and had not been back in years! It was fun to reminisce and look around at all the things that had changed! After the trip down memory lane, we headed for the hills! Actually it was the Pisgah National Forrest!

First stop Looking Glass Falls!

It is such a pretty place! Not too many people were there...it was a little breezy and chilly! After enjoying the view we hopped in the car and drove up a little further to...

Sliding Rock

This was a favorite place place for me and Red during our high school days! We would drive the 2 hour from Charlotte to the mountains for a Saturday adventure! Sliding Rock is so much fun! Ice Cold Water...even in the summer! You had to sit down at the top and slide down the rock to the bottom icy pool of water! Not in a bathing suit...in your Levis' !! Back then there were no lifeguard, bathroom or parking lot! Now there is room for 99 cars to park in the lot (paid of course), nice bathrooms, and a lifeguard during the season!! Things have changed a lot!

Back in the day we parked on the edge of the road and rode back home in our wet jeans!!

It brought back a lot of memories!! Mainly of how cold and bumpy it was!!

We headed back down the mountain towards Brevard, when Skippy said he wanted to dip he toe in a babbling brook! So we stopped at Sycamore Flats, a picnic area just inside the Pisgah National Forrest! After a short break and toe dip we had lunch in Brevard and decided to head back to Asheville! But not up the back roads, down The Blue Ridge Parkway!

It was so pretty as the snow clouds were forming just beyond the mountains! Lots of tunnels and overlooks to be enjoyed! As we drove back we kept passing gates that on the opposite side of the street had been closed. We, being the flatlanders that we are, thought I wonder why the gates blew shut? Well, about that time a police car drove by and we passed another closed gate! They were shutting down the parkway because of the up coming storm...it was predicted 2 to 4 inches. Now keep in mind that this is a two lane road with no guardrails! By the time we got back to the hotel it was lightly snowing...Skippy was beside himself!! We had to frolic!

Part Five next!!

Spring Break Part Three

The Gardens at the Biltmore House are now open! And they are beautiful...lots of tulips! The Festival of Flowers started Saturday April 4!

We were there the day after they opened...and it snowed on the next night and day. Hopefully the flowers were not hurt! The greenhouses were hot, but full of flowers and lots of people! Below the greenhouse was this great gardener's gift shop with plants for sale. This is where we picked up the shuttle. We thought that we would go back to the house gift shop to pick up some souvenirs...but when we got on the bus driver said she was going to the parking lots first. We said OK and sat back for the ride.

First we were taken to the Deerpark Inn to drop anyone who wanted brunch to get off to eat. Then we went to a parking lot to drop off the first load. (there are 3 lots)! There we changed drivers and went from the first lot to the horse barn...which is across the street from the Deerpark Inn. Picked up 3. Then over to the Deerpark Inn...Again... Haven't I been here before?? The driver got out and went in. Now the bus , that this time was more than half full...with the original group of us...were starting to feel that we were in National Lampoon's European Vacation!!(We had now been twice to someplace we didn't want to go in the first place) Were we ever going to see the Big House again??

The bus driver finally got back on the bus with two people and we started again back towards the greenhouse. Back around we go... BUT this time did not turn back towards the Deerpark Inn! Let off the rest of the pack off at their respective parking lots and THEN made are way to the house. It is so pretty riding up to the front! Too bad I didn't take a picture! BUT....We are finally here! We buy our souvenirs (Red and I buy Sweet Mama's birthday presents, April 8, hide them in a big bag) and stand back outside to pick up a shuttle to go back to the parking lots!

Will we get to go to our car or go back to the Deerpark Inn?

Stay tuned for Part Four

Spring Break Part Two

By 9:30 am we are here at the Biltmore House! It is early but there are a ton of people here! You can't tell we are having a recession! There are folks here from all different countries. Lots of languages wafting through the air... Very cosmopolitan!

After getting our tickets we drive up the driveway towards the house. When I can here in High School we drove up to the house and parked under the trees liked we owned the place!! Not anymore!! Now there are parking lots and shuttles. But there is also so much more to do. More rooms to see, the farm, the winery...it is very different than in the 70's! Sweet Mama first came to the Biltmore House when she was 11, in the 40's. She said it was dramatically different to her!

We take the tour...and get our picture make in front of the winter garden (inside garden). So after seeing all the floors (4 new rooms were opened the day before we got there!), we went outside to the kiosk to see the photo. Well, it was a great picture of everybody EXCEPT Skippy, who had his eyes closed! He said that he didn't do it on purpose...but he is 14, who knows! Needless to say no photo!

Off to the Gardens! Stay tuned for Part Three!

The Latest on Sweet Mama

Before I resume the Spring Break trip... I must update everyone about Sweet Mama. We went to Atlanta two weeks ago for a six month's checkup. At that time the surgeon took 7 biopsies. We finally got the results today...Cancer, not pre-cancer like last time... this is a rare sinus cancer. She has already had her left maxillary sinus removed. Monday we go back to Atlanta for a CT scan and to see the surgeon. Who knows what's next, surgery or radiation or both. She is doing as well as to be expected. Seems to be accepting of this next step. Now is wait and see time.

This will be difficult in more ways that one. But I am hopeful that she will recover quickly and be back to her Sweet Mama self soon!

Spring Break Part One

Welcome to Spring Break! After a fun-filled spring break last year (at Mall of America!), this year we decided to stay closer to home. This time it was me, Red, Skippy and Sweet Mama who made the journey. (Precious is on Senior honor's trip and Kojak is working). After finishing at the City Market on the Green, me and Sweet Mama packed up, counted our moo-la and headed home. We then ditched the car and joined our merry band and headed for the hills!

Three states later we arrived in beautiful Asheville, NC! We marveled how few leaves there were on the trees compared to home. It seemed like spring was just beginning here. The dogwood trees were just beginning to flower... After a relaxing meal in the bar of the hotel (Sweet Mama had to see the game) we went to bed.

So is it me or are people just rude? You have never heard so much noise, in the middle of the night, as there was Saturday night....door slamming, kids crying, folks talking at the top of their voices...sheesh. Do they think they are at home?! Please...

After a 4 hour night of sleep (yawn) we arose and prepared for our journey to the Biltmore House... To Be Continued

The Post-It Place Blog GIVEWAY!!!

Check out the Post It Place Blog! I am featured today on her Meet Me Monday (MMM) Segment! Here's the link: http://thepost-itplace.com/?p=2077

I am giving away a Men's or Women's BBQ apron with the drawing being April 13! Check out her blog for all the details! Good luck!!

Watch for upcoming posts about my mini vacation here in Western North Carolina! More to come...just have to get home to download the photos!! The Biltmore house was beautiful!! :)

Finally Friday!

Yeah! It's Friday! Tomorrow is Opening Day of City Market on the Green in downtown Macon! We are having a ribbon cutting, exhibitions, and a steel drum band perform! The Market runs from 9 am til 1 pm. The photos here are from December. Can you tell that it is freezing cold? I can still feel it...

Will take some pics tomorrow and show you the fun!

After the Market I am going directly on a mini vacation...literally we are driving out around 1pm! We are going to Asheville! I think it is about 5 hours away. Going to see the Biltmore House, the fancy Mickey D's and then going on a memory lane tour of Brevard College and the mountains! Can't believe college was so long ago! On the way back home we are going to Greenville, SC to Lander University. My mom graduated from there 50 years ago and my niece got accepted today!! Her mom went there too! Should be a lot of fun! Gottta get t-shirts! Will post pics from vacation in later post.

More Rain and Maybe Some Soup

More rain... The weatherman said today the we have had 4 inches of rain in the Macon area in the past 2 days...Seriously! I'm thinking about building an ark! They are predicting strong storms later on. It has been raining on and off (more on) all day... Makes you wish for something warm and creamy for dinner... How about some potato soup?! This is my personal favorite recipe! I am a fan of EASY and this one is!

My Favorite Potato Soup

1 package of Knorr Leek Soup Mix

3 cans of potato soup (no water added)

5 cans sliced potatoes

1 can milk (use empty soup can)

1 cup water

Mix all ingredients together and place in crockpot. Cook on low all day. Serve with grated cheese, bacon bits and scallions. Enjoy!

Raindrops on my window

This has been my view for the past couple of days! Yesterday we had rain and then, later wind! A few pine tree limbs to be picked up...but not till it drys out some. I have been wanted to plant my tomatoes but I have either been too busy or it has been raining. This year instead of a garden patch, I am going to plant patio tomatoes. I have two square planters on the back patio and they are full of weeds. So tomatoes it is! Hopefully I will get a good crop and the squirrels won't be able to find them! But they are pesky. Last year my garden patch was in the back of the yard. The tomatoes did not do very well...maybe not enough sun or too many weeds! Or maybe just the wrong variety. I hope that this year is different!

Today has been a busy day of sorts. Had to go to the Post Office first thing. Mailed an apron to Arizona! It sold after only 2 1/2 hours of being listed! That is the fastest yet! Also had to go to my favorite store to replenish my fabric supply. Then paperwork! I had not done February's either so it made for a "fun" day! But now both are done and I can move forward. Looking for a good recipe to post for tomorrow...think it might be an old standby!

But tomorrow it is going to rain all day... Oh well!